Corcoran Park Modernization | Cambridge

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Corcoran Park​

“The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is preparing to begin the first phase of the comprehensive redevelopment of their existing Corcoran Park development in Strawberry Hill. The redevelopment of Corcoran Park is expected to involve the demolition and replacement of the existing outdated buildings, built in the early 1950s, with new, deeply affordable rental units that will be built to Passive House standards.”

Corcoran Park - CDD - City of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is preparing to begin a comprehensive modernization of their existing Corcoran Park development in Strawberry Hill. The redevelopment of Corcoran Park is expected to involve the demolition and replacement of the existing outdated buildings, built in the...

www.cambridgema.gov

Corcoran Park Modernization​

“Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is excited to be advancing the opportunity to create new affordable housing in order to better serve our shared community and confront the state’s housing affordability crisis.

CHA is undertaking this work at Corcoran Park, a 153-unit affordable housing community in Strawberry Hill that we own and manage. Built in 1951, the community consists of 24 townhouse-style buildings, an 8-unit building, a maintenance garage, and a community building on 8.1 acres. In order to address the critical capital needs of the buildings and site, as well as expand affordable housing, CHA envisions replacing the outdated buildings. In their place, CHA will construct approximately 291 deeply affordable rental units in all-electric buildings built to Passive House standards that prioritize sustainability. The project will increase the amount of affordable housing by roughly 138 units, while enhancing open spaces and addressing long-term issues with flooding and subsidence at the site. The project is anticipated to be completed in three phases.

CHA has been working with a team of design professionals led by Studio G Architects to determine the most appropriate plan for the revitalization of Corcoran Park. Based on this work, CHA has determined that the major capital needs and poor accessibility can only be comprehensively addressed via a new construction approach.

Phase 1
In the winter of 2025-2026, CHA completed the Planning Board consultation process for Phase 1. This submission followed a robust resident and community engagement process. Phase 1 of the project is the portion of Corcoran Park north of Lawn Street and west of May Street, currently comprising four buildings and a small parking lot. This 1.53-acre lot currently contains 29 units. Phase 1 involves the demolition of those structures and new construction of a 46-unit four-story elevator building and a 21-unit three-story townhomes-over-flats building for a total of 67 units after redevelopment. All units will be deeply affordable (residents pay only 30% of their income on rent). Depending on the availability of funding, CHA hopes to start construction on Phase 1 in December 2026.

Phases 2 and 3
CHA has presented a master plan for the redevelopment of the Phase 2 and 3 portion of the site to residents and neighbors at a series of meetings in 2024 and 2025. However, CHA is currently reevaluating this master plan based on updates made to the City of Cambridge’s Long Term Flood Elevations (LTFEs) in July 2025. LTFEs define the minimum elevation that buildings must be built to, and due to increased risk of flooding related to heavy rain events, the updated LTFEs had a significant impact on the Phase 2 and 3 parcel. CHA hopes to advance the planning process for this part of the site in 2026.”

Corcoran Park Modernization - CHA

Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is excited to be advancing the opportunity to create new affordable housing in order to better serve our shared community and confront the state’s housing affordability crisis. CHA is undertaking this work at Corcoran Park, a 153-unit affordable housing...

cambridge-housing.org

Planning board presentation:

2026-03-10_CorcoranParkPhase1_FinalPlanningBoardConsultationPresentation.pdf | Powered by Box

cambridgehousing.app.box.com

 

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Corcoran Park​

“The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is preparing to begin the first phase of the comprehensive redevelopment of their existing Corcoran Park development in Strawberry Hill. The redevelopment of Corcoran Park is expected to involve the demolition and replacement of the existing outdated buildings, built in the early 1950s, with new, deeply affordable rental units that will be built to Passive House standards.”

Corcoran Park - CDD - City of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is preparing to begin a comprehensive modernization of their existing Corcoran Park development in Strawberry Hill. The redevelopment of Corcoran Park is expected to involve the demolition and replacement of the existing outdated buildings, built in the...

www.cambridgema.gov

Corcoran Park Modernization​

“Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is excited to be advancing the opportunity to create new affordable housing in order to better serve our shared community and confront the state’s housing affordability crisis.

CHA is undertaking this work at Corcoran Park, a 153-unit affordable housing community in Strawberry Hill that we own and manage. Built in 1951, the community consists of 24 townhouse-style buildings, an 8-unit building, a maintenance garage, and a community building on 8.1 acres. In order to address the critical capital needs of the buildings and site, as well as expand affordable housing, CHA envisions replacing the outdated buildings. In their place, CHA will construct approximately 291 deeply affordable rental units in all-electric buildings built to Passive House standards that prioritize sustainability. The project will increase the amount of affordable housing by roughly 138 units, while enhancing open spaces and addressing long-term issues with flooding and subsidence at the site. The project is anticipated to be completed in three phases.

CHA has been working with a team of design professionals led by Studio G Architects to determine the most appropriate plan for the revitalization of Corcoran Park. Based on this work, CHA has determined that the major capital needs and poor accessibility can only be comprehensively addressed via a new construction approach.

Phase 1
In the winter of 2025-2026, CHA completed the Planning Board consultation process for Phase 1. This submission followed a robust resident and community engagement process. Phase 1 of the project is the portion of Corcoran Park north of Lawn Street and west of May Street, currently comprising four buildings and a small parking lot. This 1.53-acre lot currently contains 29 units. Phase 1 involves the demolition of those structures and new construction of a 46-unit four-story elevator building and a 21-unit three-story townhomes-over-flats building for a total of 67 units after redevelopment. All units will be deeply affordable (residents pay only 30% of their income on rent). Depending on the availability of funding, CHA hopes to start construction on Phase 1 in December 2026.

Phases 2 and 3
CHA has presented a master plan for the redevelopment of the Phase 2 and 3 portion of the site to residents and neighbors at a series of meetings in 2024 and 2025. However, CHA is currently reevaluating this master plan based on updates made to the City of Cambridge’s Long Term Flood Elevations (LTFEs) in July 2025. LTFEs define the minimum elevation that buildings must be built to, and due to increased risk of flooding related to heavy rain events, the updated LTFEs had a significant impact on the Phase 2 and 3 parcel. CHA hopes to advance the planning process for this part of the site in 2026.”

Corcoran Park Modernization - CHA

Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) is excited to be advancing the opportunity to create new affordable housing in order to better serve our shared community and confront the state’s housing affordability crisis. CHA is undertaking this work at Corcoran Park, a 153-unit affordable housing...

cambridge-housing.org

Planning board presentation:

2026-03-10_CorcoranParkPhase1_FinalPlanningBoardConsultationPresentation.pdf | Powered by Box

cambridgehousing.app.box.com

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Well, I have mixed feelings about this. A good friend of mine grew up in Corcoran Park, and I grew up in Jefferson Park, so it is sad to see these old housing projects blown away with the new developments. But, I do understand the need for more low-income housing, plus the fact that the existing housing is old, from the 1950s and undoubtedly has many deficiencies due to its age. The increase in density does bother me, because I think low income families with children deserve comparable space, including open space, as families in single family homes, but I have to balance that with the reality that low-income housing is scarce, especially public housing projects that are operated and owned outright by the local government, such as this one. So, maybe it's just nostalgia, but I hate to see Corcoran Park change from townhouses to multi-story aprtments. Here's the existing Corcoran Park that will be replaced:

(Edited for a typo).